This year features the 122nd Sandown Classic, formerly called the Sandown Cup.

Along with the Sandown Classic, there is a strong supporting program headed by the Sandown Guineas which will again have a strong field of three-year-olds.

The Spring Carnival spotlight falls on Flemington with tomorrow's Group 1 $5,650,000 Emirates Melbourne Cup.

Arguably the greatest trainer to have graced the Australian turf, Bart Cummings - at nearly 82 - is aiming for the hat-trick of Melbourne's three spring features, which are the three most important open age events in the southern hemisphere.

He already has the BMW Caulfield Cup courtesy of Viewed, and the Cox Plate with So You Think. It is the sixth time in his 56 years of training that Cummings has taken out two of the big three races but he is yet to complete the trifecta.

The last time it was done was 17 years ago by Lee Freedman who swept the 1992 carnival with Mannerism (Caulfield Cup), Super Impose (Cox Plate) and Subzero (Melbourne Cup). The only other time this feat has been achieved was in 1954 when Rising Fast, trained at that time by Ivan Tucker, won all three races.

Viewed will be aiming to give Bart Cummings a "baker's dozen" of Melbourne Cup wins and will be backed up by Allez Wonder and Roman Emperor.

Cummings has always said that the Caulfield Cup form is the best guide to the Melbourne Cup and Viewed and Roman Emperor quinellaed to race.

Viewed can become the 11th to complete the double and the fifth to win successive Melbourne Cups (Archer 1861-62, Rain Lover 1968-69, Think Big 1974-75 and Makybe Diva 2003-04-05). Peter Pan also won two but not successively, being in 1932 and 1934.

Alcopop has been most impressive in his lead-ups and rates highly alongside the 2007 winner, Efficient and the winner of the last two Sandown Classics, Zipping and C'est La Guerre, those three all being stablemates. Also watch Daffodil, Vigor, Changingoftheguard, Mourilyn and Shocking.